Flotspotting: Jose Hurtado's Tandem with a Twist

Spanish designer José Hurtado started out as an architect before shifting his focus to industrial design. Among the projects in his newly-launched portfolio, one project in particular jumped out: the "Twist" bicycle concept.Twist [is] not just a bike, [it] is a union between people. Sometimes a change of direction in your life helps you to find yourself. With Twist, the change of direction will lead you to meet and enjoy the people, like you, who love cycling, mobility and [a healthy lifestyle].

The bike is designed to be reversible; hence, the unusual shape of the frame and positioning of the handlebars and saddle.The bike frame has a single arm that holds the wheel on two points, thus preventing movement and anchoring it securely. The frame is crossed by the pedal system rotating inside for the bearings. The turning circle of cycling is the same as conventional bicycles.

Thus, the hubless wheels aren't just for show: they serve as a point of attachment for a second frame, such that the tandem bike becomes a mirror image of itself when viewed in profile:

At first I thought that the concept could be extrapolated to accommodate any number of riders in a theoretically infinite daisy-chain, but given the shape and attachment points of the fork, alternating frames would necessitate a third wheel (in a manner of speaking), which could accommodate two forks, one on either side.

This, of course, is also assuming that the hubless wheels, unorthodox drivetrain, reversible frame and the 'twisting' mechanism itself are practical (or at least feasible) alternatives to those of the tried-and-true double diamond design.

Also, any ideas about a reliable braking mechanism for a hubless wheel?

Formerly an editor and currently a contributor to Core77 (among other publications), Ray relocated from New York City to the Netherlands in September 2015 to pursue a Master’s in Curating & Writing at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Insatiably curious, he brings a broad interest in popular culture, media, and technology — alongside an abiding passion for art, music, and cycling — to his practice as a journalist and critic.

15 Comments

Omg this is terrible. Not one feature of this bike actually works. That is the quickest way to explain it.
No adjustable seat, cant turn, the rotating trick actually does nothing, naive hubless wheel, pedals in opposing directions is a clear fatal flaw.. Goes on and on...
This type of design makes me worry for the future...

Reminds me of a student project. Great idea for linkable bikes, but a seasoned, professional (and successful) designer learns to investigate their ideas more thoroughly before spending the time and effort taking them to this stage.
'Blue sky' thinking is great and the foundation for great designs, but please don't go to the trouble of realistic renderings if the concept isn't realistic...you don't do anyone any favors.

This should be used as an icon representing the dangers of digital modeling and rendering. Has this designer ever ridden a bicycle? Even if this was possible it would weigh about 50 lbs, 40 of which would be pure design vanity.

What's the obsession with the hubless wheel? And why do designers keep getting attention for stuff like this? If you know it doesn't work, don't build a concept around it. If you don't know how it works, stop glorifying yourself for five minutes and crack a book on basic mechanical principles.

This is so bad I wanted to be sick. Core 77 is seriously turning into Yanko design.
I mean has anyone looked at the gear ratios on this!!!
You'de have to peddle at least 250 times to get one revolution in the wheel.
I realise that this is a concept design but come on... someone tell people to stop with the hubless wheels!

If there is one way to kill a transportation concept, It is the hub-less wheel. The idea has been presented countless times on transportation concepts - the "Cool Factor is Far outweighed by the reality. The hub-less wheel is a hallmark of naivety
This is an elegant concept and I would love to see it applied to a conventional hub-bed wheel.

One Bike that can "Join" into 2 (or into a 5-person road-Kayak!) is brilliant.
Even better, if turning slightly while linked is accounted for.
How fun it would be, to link a company's teams together as a chain, and duke it out!

I can see this as a valuable experiment in re-evaluating the standard frame design. As new materials develop, it is important to constantly re-evaluate our design decisions and underlying premise to ensure we are making the most of new material properties.
This bike itself would not be possible without the stronger metals and manufacturing techniques of today.
If we don't occasionally deviate from the standard design, it will be tough to "level up" over time. This is what breaks records.
But we don't all need to break records.
On the whole, the needs of the every day commuter are being ignored. They need a bike that is comfortable to ride, promotes a safe posture, and is easy to mount and dismount. Also, painless relibility is important. I can't imagine this bike's bearing faring well in a light snow or even through a muddy pothole. Or easy to mount in city clothes.
I would like more bicycle designers addressing the issues that would get more people on the road, from an environmental, public health, and socially responsible standpoint. For instance, the tandem component of this is excellent!

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